According to the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, a gunman is still at large after allegedly killing five people, including an 8-year-old, in a Cleveland, Texas home on Friday night following a rampage that began with a noise complaint about gunfire.
According to San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers, the defendant, 38-year-old Francisco Oropeza, was allegedly shooting a rifle in his yard when neighbors requested him to stop because a baby was attempting to go to sleep. The man then started shooting at the neighbors, according to Capers.
After receiving a harassment report at around 11:30 p.m. local time on Friday, the victims were discovered, the sheriff reported.
“The victims approached the fence and asked the shooter to refrain from firing into the yard. Our infant is attempting to fall asleep,” Capers remarked.
After a few drinks, the suspect retorted, “I’ll do what I want in my front yard.”
At some time, a doorbell camera at the victims’ house recorded the suspect coming up with his weapon, according to Capers.
According to Capers, shots were fired at numerous people near the house. He claimed that two female victims in a bedroom shielded two little children with their bodies so they would survive.
Capers stated of the victims, “They were trying to take care of them babies and keep them babies alive.”
According to Capers, the deceased was shot at close range, “almost execution style,” above the neck.
The victims were named José Jonathan Cásarez, 18, Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, Diana Velázquez Alvarado, 21, Julisa Molina Rivera, 31, and Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman, 8.
He might be anywhere right now
According to regional law enforcement, investigators followed Oropeza using his cell phone, but the investigation was abandoned Saturday night.
Greg Capers, the sheriff of San Jacinto County, stated at a press conference that “he could be anywhere right now.”
According to the sheriff, authorities followed Oropeza’s cell phone, but they discovered it abandoned along with some clothing. “The tracking dogs from the Texas Department of Corrections picked up the scent, and then they lost that scent,” Capers said.
The Houston field office of the FBI said on Twitter that it is helping with the manhunt.
#FBI Houston and our Bryan Resident Agency are providing tactical, investigative, and victim service resources to assist the San Jacinto Sheriff's Office with the #ClevelandTXShooting. We will be here until Francisco Oropeza is captured. -SAC James Smith #HouNews pic.twitter.com/0go9YWOa05
— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) April 29, 2023
According to James Smith, the lead FBI special agent, “We consider him to be armed and dangerous.” He is present and poses a danger to the neighborhood.
According to the authorities, there have been prior reports of the suspect discharging a firearm in his yard.
According to Capers, the suspect was well-known to shoot a.223 rifles. Shell casings were found in the area around the house. The suspect’s residence had at least three weapons. According to investigators, they spoke with the suspect’s wife.
Oropeza, according to the authorities, has left the area.
A warrant for the suspect’s arrest was issued locally by a judge.
Us Mass Shootings Totaling More Than 170 This Year
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 174 mass shootings in the US thus far this year. A “mass shooting” is one that leaves at least four people injured or dead, not counting the shooter, according to both CNN and the archive.
According to Kris Brown, president of Brady, a group dedicated to preventing gun violence, “Americans fear becoming victims of a mass shooting not just at banks, schools, supermarkets, or churches.”
“People are being killed with assault weapons in their own homes in this country, and until our norms and policies change, that is the horrifying reality we will continue to live with.”
According to the sheriff, there were ten persons inside the house when the shooting occurred.
According to Capers, the victims’ ages range from 8 to roughly 40. At a hospital, the 8-year-old victim was pronounced dead.
According to the officials, two persons were examined on the spot and freed while three people were brought to the hospital.
According to Capers, some of the victims had recently arrived at the house from Houston and were from Honduras.
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